Cuperino
commented
6 years ago Hello Robert,
I haven't forgotten about your previous e-mails! The rest of the team hasn't either but they didn't seem to realize they came from the same user.
Thank you so much for your valuable input! It is users like you who keep us going!
We'll do our best to incorporate markers, scene numbers and the suggested UI improvements in our next release and the remaining inputs in a later version. We'll be refactoring the software around December, if not sooner. We've been more busy than we could expect with other projects, but we've set aside time to revamp Teleprompter by the end of the year.
I will personally let you know once we're ready for testers, and other users as well. Once again, thank you for your support!
Best regards, Javier
Hello… I am a professional teleprompter operator in Miami FL; I work for Telemundo and various production companies on live television, studio shoots, etc…
Based on a lot of live and real world experience I have some suggestions and requests for the software in its next iteration. In fact I was hoping to try it today on a shoot at Telemundo but there’s an important feature that I need. May I share these observations with you...?
Markers: we need the ability to set a marker without naming it. The ideal functionality is to hit an F key (F3 is standard) and set a marker. Then we jump to the next or previous marker with a user-programmable alt key combination. We program these shortcuts into a USB controller like a Shuttle Pro. The named marker can be replaced with…
Scene numbers: Frequently we need to skip around in a script while prompting. This is usually in an emergency situation, an unanticipated change in the run order of a show, so it has to be fast. One solution is to jump to the item or scene number. Ideally we could enter the scene number such as “A12” in a search box, hit enter, and jump to it from wherever we are currently prompting, without stopping prompting or displaying any visible interruption to the talent.
Typically in a script, the item number is in a title line called a “slug” which is a line describing the scene, in black text on a white background above the line intended for the talent to read. We want to be able to move ahead or back when a director calls out an item number for the prompter to go to. This is something distinct from a marker.
I can send examples of real live event scripts so you can see the original formats we get from script writers and producers.
Simple button interface: In our workflow we don’t need all the features on the toolbar, just the ones we use constantly. I would like to suggest a minimal toolbar button set with other features hidden in the menu bar. Labels in words are easier and faster to read than icons, and larger, simple buttons are better than anything too highly designed. Speed and instant responsiveness are the most important thing in the UI for a prompting application because of the pace of live television and even studio shooting.
New | Open (Import) | Close | Save | Font (opens dropdown box with font, size, color, background color) | Find/Replace (ctrl F) | Prompt/Edit (toggle between Prompt mode/Edit mode)
Editing interface The Editing mode should have an option to view the script at full size, and at a small font size so we can see several paragraphs of text on the screen. Editing should stay in white text on a black background like prompting.
The keyboard shortcut to prompt and “exit prompt to edit mode” could be user selectable so we can program it on shuttle controller buttons.
The advanced features and even features like Spellcheck could be on regular dropdown menus, not on the button bar.
If your programmers are interested in refining this application with input from the real world of high-pressure, broadcast-level prompting, please let me know… I would be happy to give you input on future iterations that would give us a new option, and give you a competitive product.
Thanks
Robert Whitman